5 key 49ers are coming off serious injuries from 2022

No. 1: 49ers right tackle Mike McGlinchey

The 49ers may be able to absorb an injury to, or a sub-par season from Javon Kinlaw because of their D-line depth.

This probably isn’t the case with the offensive line, though.

The Niners are already poised to have a 40-percent new cast on the O-line this season after losing left guard Laken Tomlinson in free agency, then watching center Alex Mack retire. While those two losses alone create concerns, it’s nearly as worrisome to know Mike McGlinchey is working his way back from a season-ending quad tear he suffered halfway through 2021.

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As noted earlier, players like Justin Skule might be tasked with filling the void if McGlinchey either isn’t ready to go or reaggravates the injury in any sort of way. And while general manager John Lynch has stressed McGlinchey should be ready by training camp, the obvious downgrade from the 2018 first-round pick to some of the reserve options like Skule is noticeable.

With San Francisco’s O-line already a comparative weakness, ensuring McGlinchey returns and is at 100 percent should be one of the bigger priorities Lynch and Co. have leading into the regular season.